July 28, 2010 - Cheney hats

Arielle DuBoyce, 5, gets help from Joy Menhennett, both of Oak Park, making a hat during a patio party July 23 at Cheney Mansion. Children were invited to decorate a hat, make a sun catcher, get a temporary tattoo and have a tea party.
&nbsp

The hat decoration was just one part of the event. When they were done working, the kids wrote little descriptions of their handiwork and then modeled their hat for everyone in attendance, Peterson said.

"A couple of girls who were really young twirled really fast and ran," Peterson said.

A few brought their own hats, though there were hats available for those who did not. One girl decorated a hat for her mother, Peterson said, and her mother had to model it for the crowd.

In addition to hat decorating, there were butterfly suncatchers to color and flower tattoos to wear, Peterson said.

&nbsp

Elise Miedlar, 9, of Oak Park, makes a sun catcher during the patio party at Cheney Mansion.

Finished hats sit by the window. After decorating their hats, children also had a chance to model them for everyone.